Death Records

If you would like to order vital records from another state, visit the Where to Write page on the National Center for Health Statistics website for more information.

If you are the person named on the document, parent of the person named on the document, adult child of the person named on the document, sibling of the person named on the document, grandparent of the person named on the document, adult grandchild of the person named on the document or an attorney for one of the above, you may obtain these documents.

Death certificates may also be released to the named beneficiary of an insurance policy or trust.

When another adult other than the mother or father listed on the certificate is requesting a record, they must present a judgment of custody for the child. Notarized custody papers or provisional custody mandates are not acceptable.

Birth certificates and death certificates are not open records. Birth records are confidential for 100 years. Death records are confidential for 50 years. An ID is required to prove your identity and to prove that you are a qualified applicant.

The Louisiana Vital Records Registry is not able to accept requests for genealogical research. Birth and death records archived by the Vital Records Registry are confidential and are not public record.They may only be released in accordance with Louisiana law.

Birth records are archived by the Vital Records Registry for 100 years from the year of the event. Death records are archived by the Vital Records Registry for 50 years from the year of the event.

Orleans Parish Marriage records are public records and are archvied for 50 years from the year of the event.

Birth records over 100 years old, death records over 50 years old and Orleans Parish marriage records over 50 years old are public records and may be obtained from Louisiana State Archives at the Secretary of State's office.

You may send in a written statement signed by an immediate family member listing the birth or death facts of the record you are obtaining. The statement must give permission to Louisiana Vital Records to release a certified copy of the certificate to you. The statement must also identify you by your full name, and you must present a photocopy of your picture ID with along with a photocopy of the immediate family member's picture ID.

No. Vital records require the raised seal of the Vital Records Registry to be considered valid. Records are not to be faxed for any reason.